Testimonials

We hired Kelsey to help navigate the guardianship process for our son with disabilities. Kelsey stood out in our search because of her excellent listening skills, her ability to keep us on track during our consulatation, and the excellent reputation of her firm, Wiscarson Law. We are exceptionally pleased with how seemlessly this process was. Kelsey is an excellent communicator, and we were clear at all times where we were in the process and the timing of each step. We would not hesitate to hire again Kelsey should the need arise. As a special bonus, we didn’t use our entire retainer and the remainder was promptly refunded to us. Professional from beginning to end.

We sought out Elizabeth after receiving a glowing referral from a local Special Education college professor. Elizabeth helped us get our daughter, who had a stroke, off an ineffective 504 plan and on an individualize IEP that provided the accommodations our daughter needed. Along the way, Elizabeth provided the counsel we needed and also looked after us financially as she pointed out things that we could handle or letters we could write on our own, with her support of course, without incurring additional fees. Her background in teaching and her knowledge of the law combined for an effective package to help us achieve the things our daughter needed to graduate High School and now move on to college. I know our daughter wouldn’t be where she is at today without Elizabeth’s assistance. I have already referred several parents of children with special needs to Elizabeth and will continue to do so.

Thank you for checking in. I think [my wife] and I both feel comfortable with the school, and with their ability to execute [our daughter’s] 504 plan. We’re finally to a point where we’re comfortable without an attorney! So no, you don’t need to plan on assisting us this year as of this time. That being said, I want to say that we would not have gotten to this point without you and all your help. Not only did you help us through a very challenging situation at [the previous elementary school] – you helped give us the confidence to know how to work with school officials on [our daughter’s] needs! We’ve had a great experience at [the new elementary school] so far and that’s definitely due to the tone you helped us set from the beginning.

Deanne is always so kind, warm and friendly when I pop through the door. She is just a jewel.

Our son is doing FANTASTIC! You have made all of this possible. Your efforts helped get [our son]the team that he deserves and that values him rather than tries to change him and blame him for his challenges. Thank you for everything!!!

Kelsey guided us through the guardianship process so skillfully and patiently. It was a pleasure to work with her. She was prompt and thorough in her communication. She patiently and effectively answered all my questions and educated me on the process so that each step was made clear to me. She is also a compassionate listener and was good at directing me to resources for other concerns regarding adult children with disabilities.

My son was 16 years old when Diane helped him. I was so frustrated with the school district, trying for 7 years to get help. All I heard was that he was lazy and didn’t care. So being a parent I continued to get on him about his school work, and it didn’t help! All it did was keep us apart and bring tension between us. It wasn’t until he almost died thru suicide, I took a second look at what was truly the source of his pain. It was because he needed help in school to succeed! Not me listening to the teachers, but me knowing what my son truly needed. What was a little hand up with some help. Diane understood what I was going through by personal experience. Huge plus! Even though I live almost by Canada, and had a hard work schedule, she always worked with my schedule and made the school do the same. Now since she has helped my son to succeed, our family feels whole again. My son no longer feels like a failure because someone was on his side to stand by him, and stand up for his rights as a student in the public school system. I couldn’t of done this without Diane. I can’t thank her enough for changing my son’s outlook on school and life altogether.

Diane Wiscarson is a wonderful and knowledgeable lawyer! Our school district did not want to comply with recommendations by our child’s Physician’s recommendations for additional academic support. Prior to hiring Ms Wiscarson, we attended several meetings with the school staff to plead our case and each time the staff disagreed. After three long stressful months we hired Diane and she reassured us that we will be able to add all additional accommodations and support for our son. After meeting with the school district representatives and the school staff, they finally agreed. Thank you Diane! You’re our Hero. Stress is gone and our Son is thriving in his new school.

We are so grateful to you for your amazing help advocating for [our daughter], and your huge heart towards us as well.

Elizabeth, We wanted to say thank you for being so thorough and professional in [our son’s] IEP meeting last week! It is so apparent that you are well prepared have [our son’s] very best interests in mind and at heart, and clearly represent our concerns (as his parents). For all of that, we are so appreciative! You make a big difference in [our son’s] life and ease our stress in making sure we’re doing all we can to help him be successful. Kindest Regards.

Diane is an expert on special education law. She helped our family navigate our rights when our request for an IEP review was denied by our school district. My son suffered from severe emotional disturbance and intellectual disability, yet was refused services and a proper review. With Diane’s smart advocacy and tireless determination, we were able to secure an IEP, an out-of-state residential school placement that supported my son’s very specific needs, as well as a successful settlement through mediation proceedings. I hope our family never has the need again for her services, but if we do, Diane has the full extent of our trust and confidence. I have immense gratitude for the level of care she and her entire team provided for our family, in a time of extreme difficulty and need. Diane has my highest recommendation.

I think it is great that [my son] knows there are people rooting for him out there…even people he has never met. I am so grateful that we crossed paths. I have nothing but great things to say about your team. Please let me know if you ever need a reference, etc. Many thanks and best wishes

I wanted to thank you for all your help at [our daughter’s] IEP. You have helped us for so many years with ‘bringing up [our daughter]’, what a difference you have made! Thank you! It’s good to know you’re on her team! I’ve included a picture of her at her job. As you can see from the picture she loves her work experience there!

Thanks so much for your support and guidance with [our son’s] education. We would absolutely be lost without you!

Did what she said, got the result she said she would likely be able to obtain for our child, worked harmoniously with all district employees, and obtained the desired outcome for our child. Everything she said and did was extremely credible, and the timeline unfolded exactly as she said it would. Our child has higher intelligence, which meant his needs were not immediately recognized by the school, and his disabilities were less visible. Elizabeth got the right people to do the right thing. Responded very promptly to all communication, even when she was very busy. Friendly and relaxed.

Diane and her staff are extremely professional yet down to earth. Diane handled our case as if she was dealing with her own child’s education. Her heart is definitely in it for the kids. She is extremely knowledgeable regarding education law, IEP’s, and school districts. Since she has been in the business for so long, she already had a relationship with our director of special education and most of the staff in the school district knew her and she had a great reputation for being a fair advocate for parents. She was extremely flexible in her schedule and she always made us feel like we were the only case she was handling. Thank you Diane! We will and have recommended you to everyone we’ve come in contact with who has needed legal help in special education.

Wonderful lawyer who helped us obtain school district support for our son. Extremely knowledgeable about what is possible (or not). Importantly, she knew all the key players in our school district–which helped us strategize the best approach to get what we needed. Recommend highly!

Things are going great for [our daughter] at school. After your help we have had a lot of support and cooperation from the school. Thank you again with everything you have helped us with. I do want to continue to work with you when we have to go to another IEP meeting or any changes in the IEP. Thank you again for all your help.

I have been thinking of you lately. He seems to be getting along. No major problem. The team there seems well suited to teach him. He’s sad and damaged [from the previous bad school environment], but I think he is in a place that can potentially heal him. It is amazing to see him in a place that is not hurting him every day. I think he is relieved.

Helped us understand our position in dealing with the school district regarding our son and his placement in a program that was not going to benefit him. The firm gave us options to try on our own instead of just marching into court, which we greatly appreciated. I can recommend Wiscarson Law without hesitation or reservation!

His teacher called us and told us that he was participating in class and that he will be a great fit. [His sister] also being able to change schools with him was critical in helping him make that change to the new school.. Thank you for all your help in making this happen. We had no idea that there could be a place so well suited to care for him. Thank you for everything – I really feel good knowing you are in our corner. I am hopeful we an support [our daughter] in what she needs. Thanks for all you do- We are so grateful.

We are so appreciative of the great advocacy work you have done for [our daughter], and your counsel to get us to where we are at with his PPS education!! Thank you so very much!

Diane is truly outstanding at representing families of children with disabilities. We used her services for our daughter upon coming to Portland from New Jersey. We were getting push-back from the district on placement in general education, and Diane was systematic and thorough in helping us advocate for our daughter and helping us put into place services and supports that would support her in the general education environment.

Thank you for everything – I really feel good knowing you are in our corner. I am hopeful we an support [our daughter] in what she needs. Thanks for all you do- We are so grateful.

Fantastic representation with great collaborativeness!

It is hard to believe though, that we are at this juncture – it always seemed so far off (for my son to finish high school). I can’t imagine what his life would had been like had it not been for you. You are a life saver!

You did an excellent job in representing [my grandson’s] best interests as he entered middle school. And now, it seems that for the most part the Administration and teachers are working to meet [my grandson’s] learning needs consistent with the agreements reached in our joint meeting at the beginning of the school year. You did an excellent job, professional and caring, for us: [my grandson, my daughter, and us, his grandparents}. Thank you for everything . . . your involvement and perspective proved to be important in getting him off to a positive start. Without any question, should the need for legal intervention on his behalf occur at any time in the future it would be my decision to ask for your assistance, post haste. Again, thank you for helping [my grandson and daughter]. You deserve a gold star.

I appreciate all you have done for us. [Our son] has gone from having a 2-3 day (on a scale of 1-10) to having 9’s and 10’s
Thank you so much!

Thank you for all Wiscarson Law has done for us through the years!! You have been a life saver.

Great meeting today! We are over the moon and cautiously hopeful that this IEP might help turn things around for [our daughter]. Thank you so much for advocating for our daughter!

Thank you for everything Elizabeth, you have been such a huge help! [Our daughter] is off to a great start this year because of you!

Thank you for checking in. Everything seems to be going well. I have received emails from [my daughter’s] teacher each week with really detailed information which I appreciate.At this point, I’m happy with the IEP and how it is being implemented.If it’s ok with you, I would like you to continue to attend IEP meetings with me, I think it would help keep them on their toes and I mean that in a positive way. I can’t thank you enough for everything you have done for both {my daughter} and I! You are the best!

I have 2 children with a specific learning disability in a school district that seems to subscribe to the wait to fail model of intervention. Diane was able to help us get appropriate interventions to support our kids so they don’t have to fail.

We can’t thank Wiscarson Law enough for all the help in navigating a system that really does place lots of roadblocks in the path of having kids with special needs reach their full potential. We first came to Diane nine years ago when [our son] was in the the third grade. It has been an unbelievable journey and we would not have been able to get [our son] to where he is today without Wiscarson Law’s guidance and leadership. A Sincere THANK YOU!

We had an urgent issue with our special needs son and his high school. Wiscarson Law responded quickly to my call and scheduled me in to see Elizabeth Polay that very week. She was incredibly kind, upfront and a top notch subject matter expert in Special Needs/Education. She managed our expectations perfectly. Her kindness and empathy are so genuine and comforting. She is a wonderful advocate for children and is committed to helping and supporting families like mine. I have had two other experiences with other attorneys in this field and Elizabeth Polay and Wiscarson law has been the best experience by far. Thank you Elizabeth!!

[Our son] has a real chance now. Thank you for everything.

Thanks for your guidance and help on our issues. We know and draw comfort from the fact that you will keep fighting the good fight for the kids and families you serve.

Thanks for everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for giving me hope again. I can’t even begin to tell you how much that means to me.

I appreciate you and how you’ve helped in advocating for my daughter. I feel as though the beginning has begun, a beginning which should have begun a long time ago, though has been in a stall for a long time. Forward with hope and again, I thank you and appreciate you! My best, Be well,

Diane, Thank you so much for everything. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without your help. You were there for me when I needed it and your went as far as you can to keep me in school. I got through hell and half acre, and you’re one of the reasons why I have been able to do what I needed and to graduate. Thank you so much!

It was great working with you, you are always the voice of reason. Thank you again!

Thank you for everything. If not for you I have no clue where [my son] would be in school now, IF he would have even been able to stay in that school.

Well we did it! We got him through high school! It was iffy for a while, but he will complete his high school diploma.

We feel fortunate that you were part of our son’s life for him to be successful (as much as he wanted to be) and graduate high school. You were there when I needed guidance and emotional support and that meant a lot to me. My goal for him was to obtain a regular diploma and he did!

I can’t say enough how much I have valued your time and input.

Just a little note to tell you, You were right! Don’t you just love it when you hear that?

Thanks again for you all you did for our family – we’ll never forget it!

Thank you for your help and for what you do for our kids. Have a great day.

I want you to know how much I have appreciated your knowledge and support. You relate with a genuineness that is refreshing, engenders trust and certainly does not fit the stereotype of your profession. I appreciate the work that you have done for our family and always felt that you “had my back” every step of the way. I’m glad you have to keep records for 6 years because I expect we will need you in the future. I feel blessed to have found someone with such a passion for this work.

I must thank you again, Diane. I will never forget how alone I was … until you came to my rescue. Thank you for guiding us through the school system and sticking up for her rights to an education. It has been so good for her.

… the IEP meeting this AM went very well, with all of his teachers raving about his progress on every front. He spends 90% of his time in the gen ed classroom, and he is at grade level in all his work. He is gifted in math, and just won a poetry contest! Just wanted you to know that you were on the side of right with this one, and we sure got the right answer for him!

Diane, I have appreciated your guidance, your enforcement and your persistence over the years. I don’t believe [our son] would have the support he has now without your help. I have recommended your services to others as I respect and value your knowledge and hard work in upholding the rights of special education children. I will always feel indebted to you.

I just wanted to thank you for doing such an outstanding job in our quest to do the right thing for [our son]. When I met you, I knew that you were the right person for the job. You were always prepared and offered us the support we needed.

Words can’t describe how much better we feel knowing that someone is willing to help us get our son’s educational needs met. I must admit — it was pretty awesome to watch you in action. So thank you again for all that you’ve done for us.

We appreciate your taking the time to share your expertise and experience with us. If our daughter decides to use legal representation, you’ll be the one.

Thanks so much for your hard work this month. I’m still kind of dazed and disbelieving at how well that last meeting seems to have gone.

I just wanted to send you a quick note letting you know that our son is graduating from high school tonight. A couple of years ago I thought that this would have been impossible, that is until we met you. Thank you for all of the work you do for families like ours.

Once again, thanks for all the loving care and intelligence on the behalf of [our children]. We are very grateful.

I want to thank you Diane. You have been a great support to our family! Your counsel has been a great help to me personally because advocating for [our son] alone has not been successful. I now feel like we are actually getting somewhere in the process. Before, I was like a deer caught in the headlights. Thank you again – you have been a godsend!

Just wanted to thank you for the attorney referral for my son. As a result, his legal situation ended a bit better than it could have been, and in time he will be able to rebuild his life and start on a new path. Once again, thank you so much! You were my guardian angel that day, and I don’t know what I would have done without you!

Thank you again for your hard work for us and for all the families you help.

Just wanted to drop you a note and tell you thank you so much. I do feel that without you there for [our son] he would not be where he is today.

Throughout the process we came to admire and respect Diane’s strict adherence to an ethical practice. She diligently worked toward our benefit throughout the whole experience.

From a student: Thank you for helping my parents with my placement at school. For the first time in my life, I am attending a school where I can communicate visually with my hands. The people at [school] are very supportive, and every day here offers me a new opportunity to learn. Last week, I played in my first Special Olympics basketball game. Thank you for all you do!

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I wanted to thank you for all of your time spent helping our son. I don’t know how we would have made it without you. I really appreciate it.

Thanks again for all your wonderful support.

She is doing great! Because of all your help, she is in a regular ed class with pull-outs for reading and a tiny bit of socialization. Truth be told, she wouldn’t have received all that she has and wouldn’t have progressed so far without you.

I would like to thank you for all your help this year. He has made tremendous progress this year. Although there is still work to be done, the school situation is 100% better than it was when I met you. I am not sure where we would be if I had not met you.

Words cannot express our gratitude to you… He is happy at school, loves riding the bus, reports to his mother that he is having “the best day ever” at school.

Thank you so much for everything. We always enjoyed watching you work and how you were always on top of things, but we also enjoyed getting to know you as a person. It’s a great thing you do for families you represent. We were truly fortunate to have you as our attorney.

Thank you so very much for all that you have done. Without your help, [my son] wouldn’t be where he is today.

Thank you for everything you have done for us this past year. It has been a great school year for my son and it has been really terrific to see the progress he has made academically and socially. I know he would not be where he is if we had not had you to guide us and oversee what the teacher/district are doing.

I wanted to thank you for being there for us this year and believe me, I know we’ll need you next year as well!! Thanks again for all your help Diane. We wouldn’t have made it without you!

On behalf of our family, we want to thank you for your diligence and efforts to help us sort out our options during this most difficult time.